The New Orleans Saints’ run game just hit an all-time low in Week 7, literally making franchise history they haven’t seen in decades. They couldn’t even get one player to crack double-digit rushing yards in their brutal 16-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Paris, a performance so bad it hasn’t been seen by the team since 1993.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: A 30-Year Low for the Saints
This wasn’t just a bad day; it was historically awful. Alvin Kamara, Keandre Miller, and even Tyler Shough all failed to reach 10 rushing yards in the entire game. Think about that for a second. ESPN’s Katherine Terrell dropped the knowledge that this is the first time a team has gone without a 10-yard rusher since the Buccaneers did it against the Chiefs in 2022. For the Saints specifically, this is only the third time it’s *ever* happened, with the other instances being in 1993 and 1980.
Tyler Shough was their leading rusher with a whopping seven yards on three carries. Keandre Miller managed six yards on eight attempts, while Alvin Kamara, a name you expect to see doing damage, got a measly five yards on six attempts. All told, the Saints ran the ball 17 times for just 18 yards. You can absolutely point the finger at this running game for that 16-10 defeat.
A Season-Long Slog, and It’s Getting Worse
Here’s the kicker: this isn’t a new problem. This horrible running game has been plaguing the Saints all season long. The source points to it being a combination of offensive line issues and sub-par running back play. Even when Travis Etienne Jr. was involved earlier, it was still a struggle. Etienne Jr. is set to return in Week 9, but the writing is on the wall: the run game “might not get a lot better” even then.
The Saints are now 2-5 and heading into a bye week with this utterly brutal loss hanging over their heads. The question for them is huge: can they even begin to fix this offensive line and running back mess during their time off? Because right now, their season is collapsing, and it feels like it’s all starting with their inability to get anything, and we mean *anything*, going on the ground.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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